Just Clowning Around
by purlysurly
Summary: Who's afraid of clowns? My entry for the 2016 Twilight Tricks and Treats Contest. Recipient of Secret Keeper's Award from Alice's White Rabbit and Validator's Award from Songster.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Here's my entry for the 2016 Twilight Tricks and Treats contest. My thanks to all the contest organizers. Check out all the entries, the link is in my profile. Thanks to my beta, Owlsarebirdstoo.

Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

 **Monday, October 24, 2016 – Seattle, Washington**

 _Evil clown incidents in the area have escalated dramatically over the weekend. Two separate violent incidents occurred late yesterday. In both cases, the scenario was similar. The victim was alone in a relatively secluded area when surprised by the approach of an assailant dressed as an evil clown. The clown brandished a weapon, forced the victims to the ground and robbed them. This weekend's crimes were significantly more violent, however, than ones reported earlier this month. In the first incident, the clown threatened the victim with a machete, eventually doing harm even though the victim was cooperating with his demands. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition after having received more than one hundred stitches._

 _In the second incident, the clown had a machete and also a gun. Again, the victim was cooperating with the clown, but still he was shot multiple times. The victim is currently in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery late last night._

 _Officials urge residents to be aware of their surroundings, travel in groups and avoid secluded areas. If you see a clown, get to the nearest safe location and call 9-1-1._

 **Monday, October 31, 2016 – Forks, Washington**

Seth Clearwater is annoyed. The lanky fourteen-year-old spent hours carving a pumpkin for the Pumpkin Walk at this year's Halloween Festival and he's damn proud of it. His buddy, Jake, helped him out. Jake is the best carver on the reservation and even _he_ said that Seth did a great job. It was the perfect replica of the evil clown, Pennywise. He thought it was hilarious, really, given the clown sightings throughout the Seattle and Port Angeles area. He didn't mind that they had cancelled the Walk. He gets it given everything that's been happening lately. What has him upset is that they didn't cancel it until all the pumpkins had already been put in place for the Walk and now they were just left there. He wasn't going to let his rot in the woods without ever being seen. Hence, his current hike up the trail behind the school to retrieve it before starting his DJ gig at the festival.

Finally arriving at his jack-o-lantern, he stands for a moment, admiring it with a smile. Before he bends over to pick it up, he is surprised by the feel of something cold and hard pressing into his ribcage and a commanding voice telling him to 'Move!'

Trying to steal a glance over his shoulder, he sees enough to send his heart rate climbing. The glimpse of a gruesomely painted face is all he needs to realize that a clown has shown up in Forks and he could be in real trouble.

The item against his ribs pushes to the point of pain. "Don't! Don't you dare try anything; you're coming with me. Now walk!"

"Newton," Seth says, hoping that this is just a prank, even though the hairs on the back of his neck tell him otherwise. "This isn't funny. I thought you just wanted to show up and try to scare people. What's with the dramatics?"

"You want to see dramatic?" The pressure disappears from his ribs and a pistol is raised alongside him. Taking no more than a moment to aim the gun, the clown squeezes the trigger and a pumpkin thirty feet down the trail explodes into pieces. "I'm not playing around. Now move!" The gun is again pressed into Seth's back urging him forward.

Seth's heart is hammering in his chest. "Is this the same clown who was hurting people in Seattle and Port Angeles? What would he be doing in Forks of all places? Maybe it's not the same clown but one of those copycats. Is that better or worse? Shit, I don't know," his thoughts begin racing as he tries to determine the best course of action.

"I said move. Now!" The command is punctuated by a rough jab to his ribs and he complies, feet dragging in the undergrowth of the wood.

They walk several more minutes, each step taking them further up and away from the school. It is slow going since they stay away from any well-established trails. Finally, they appear at a bend on a lesser used path and stop. The clown turns Seth so that he faces down the hill. It provides a perfect view of the school between the trees and they can see the people starting to arrive for the festival.

"Now, kneel! Down on the ground and put your hands behind your head!" The clown directs with another harsh jab to Seth's ribs.

* * *

Sam Uley's lungs burn as he runs up the trail as fast as he can. His department-issued bullet-proof vest thumps lightly against his mid-drift with each stride and he takes comfort in the weight of his gun belt on his waist. Jacob called in to the station saying that he had tried to go after Seth, who went up the trail behind the school to get his stupid pumpkin. Jake spotted him walking further away from the school with someone dressed as a clown, appearing to have a gun. Sam was surprised and proud of Jacob for showing some restraint and calling the police instead of going after Seth himself. Jacob could be a bit of a hot-head and he even told Sam he was second-guessing himself since the clown didn't look that big.

"I could have taken him down for sure if I was able to catch up to him quietly. I was just afraid of what he might do with that gun if he heard me before I could grab him," Jacob had said.

Sam had assured him that he had done the right thing and grudgingly awarded Jacob some points for his budding maturity.

Now, as Sam reaches the highest point of the Pumpkin Walk he stops, listening for any sound that is out of place and looking for any clue as to where Seth may have been taken. He spots some recent tracks going off the trail and follows quietly.

Moving quickly, it isn't long before he catches a glimpse of something moving up ahead. Ducking behind a tree, he surveys the area. It is definitely them. Some crazy guy dressed as a clown sure did appear to have a gun pointed at Seth. They are turned so that they face the school. Sam's route brought him around so that he is off to their right side.

The ideal situation would be to approach from behind, giving him more of a chance to surprise them. Unfortunately, the terrain behind them climbed dramatically and was littered with huge boulders. It would take too long to get there and then maneuver close enough to actually do anything. Sam will have to take make his move from here.

"Look at them," the clown says tauntingly as Seth looks down on the rapidly-filling school parking lot. "All those kiddies dressed up as princesses, animals," there's an amused chuckle before the clown continues, ". . . superheroes. Too bad there won't be a superhero coming here to help you. Tell me, what are you thinking right this very moment, boy?"

Seth can't prevent a couple of tears from slipping down his cheek, but he was going to do his best to keep his voice from cracking. "I'm thinking that I have friends down there and I don't want any of them to get hurt."

"Aw, selflessness. It's a ridiculous trait that will prevent you from ever getting anything you want. Not that that matters to you now, though. What else are you thinking?"

Seth sniffles and clears his throat before speaking again. "I'm thinking about how sad my mom and my sister are going to be if you kill me. My dad died last year, so I'm the man of the house – "

The clown laughs heartily. "You're the man of the house?" The question is heavy with disbelief. "That's not saying much is it? Given how you're going to die up here on this hill, quiet as a little mouse."

"I don't want to die," Seth says softly. He thinks he feels the gun shake against his back, but figures he must be mistaken.

"Too bad you don't have a choice in the matter," the clown says.

Suddenly there is a commotion coming from their right and a booming voice rings through the trees.

"PUT THE GUN DOWN AND STEP AWAY FROM THE BOY!"

Both the clown and Seth whip their heads to the side to see who is there. A huge police officer has stepped out from behind a tree just fifteen feet away. His gun is pointed at the clown and the expression on his face makes it clear that he means business.

"Sam," Seth whispers, his tone heavy with relief.

The clown looks at Sam, the gun still aiming for the middle of Seth's back, and is completely unmoving for a full twenty seconds.

"I said, put the gun down and step away from the boy!" Sam repeats, his voice full of authority.

Just then Sam's radio crackles and a voice comes through. Seth can't make out what is said, but he recognizes the voice of Chief Swan.

Sam keeps his gun and eyes trained on the clown, but slowly removes his supporting hand so that he can press the button on the radio. "10-4," he replies.

A curt response from the Chief comes through and they all can hear him say, "Over and out."

Sam sees a distinct tremble in the clown's arm that is holding the gun and decides talk may be his best recourse at the moment.

"You know, I don't know who you are, but so far here today you haven't really done anything too bad. I mean, you're not supposed to pull guns out on people, but you haven't hurt anyone. You put the gun down and Seth there can go on about his day. The folks down at the gym are looking forward to him playing some music. The kids are going to eat too much candy and drive their parents crazy before the sugar crash kicks in . . ." He says it all in a soothing, conciliatory tone.

The clown just shakes his head no and presses the gun more firmly into Seth's back. "Face down on the ground!" he snarls at Seth, not taking his eyes off of Sam.

Seth slowly lowers his torso to the ground, resting his cheek on the fallen leaves and mossy, damp earth. Tears flow freely now from his tightly closed eyes.

The clown shifts position, so he is now to the side of Seth and facing Sam. His gun stays aimed at Seth's back.

"Alright," Sam says. "We're quickly getting to the point of no return here. You're setting up a no win situation. I'm telling you for the last time: put the gun down and step away from the boy!"

Again, the clown just shakes his head from side to side. Then he moves his gun slightly. It's a small movement, but it shifts the aim from Seth's back to the back of his head. The move, and its clear intent, sends Sam's heartbeat through the roof.

"PUT THE GUN DOWN, NOW!" he shouts.

Just then, they all hear the sounds of someone or something coming through the woods toward them. There is no attempt at stealth. Whatever is coming their way is coming hard and fast.

The clown's head shakes faster and more emphatically, back and forth as he stares at Sam.

Before anything else can happen, Chief Swan bursts through some brush and appears next to Sam.

"Don't shoot!" he exclaims breathlessly, hands stretched out in an effort to freeze everything before it goes irreparably wrong.

The clown's head stops moving as he stares at Charlie. The chief slowly moves his hand closest to Sam until it rests on top of Sam's gun. He firmly presses down, urging Sam to lower the gun.

Sam looks at him, incredulously. "Chief? I don't think …" he starts.

"Lower your gun, Sam. That's an order," Charlie says firmly.

Sam complies reluctantly, lowering the gun slowly, but remaining poised to raise it again in a flash if needed.

Charlie focuses all his attention on the clown. The clown's arm that holds the gun is clearly shaking now.

"You don't have to do this," Charlie says.

There's sniffling and Charlie doesn't know if it's coming from Seth or the clown but he chooses to take it as a good sign. But then the clown starts with the head shake again. Very slowly, back and forth, back and forth.

"No. You _don't_ have to. Just put the gun down," his voice is pleading, tinged with fear. He takes a breath so he can utter one more thing, a plea and prayer, "Please . . . Bells . . ."

* * *

A/N: Just a handful of chapters in this. They will all be posted today. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to my beta, Owlsarebirdstoo

* * *

 _Earlier that month…_

 **Monday, October 3, 2016 – Seattle, Washington**

 _This is King 5 with your Noon News, bringing you the top five stories in the first five minutes._

The female news anchor was unremarkable in her stereotypical reporter good looks. A trendy suit, hair carefully styled and make up perfectly applied to a pretty face. A likeable voice with impeccable pronunciation, she could be from any mid-sized city in the US.

 _Three evil clown sightings were reported in the greater Seattle area over the weekend. Officials are interviewing witnesses and the investigations are ongoing._

The image of Seattle's Chief of Police, Liam Aldrich, fills the screen, dressed in his uniform, the city emblem prominently displayed on the podium in front of where he stands.

" _We are treating these as legitimate reports from credible witnesses. The reports themselves are not false. We do believe that there has been a person or persons, dressed as an evil clown, showing up in mostly residential neighborhoods. What we don't know is if these are just hoaxes aimed at scaring people, or if there are other, more nefarious, intentions. Either way, we are committed to tracking down these clowns."_

The picture cuts back to the news anchor's face.

 _The police say that there have been no reports of anyone being harmed or even threatened by the clowns in the sightings so far, but they are not taking any chances. If you see an evil clown, or have any information about the sightings, call 9-1-1._

Charlie mutes the television that is playing in the station lobby and tosses the remote onto the front desk.

"What do you think, Chief? Anything we need to worry about?" Officer Sam Uley asks.

Charlie purses his lips as he thinks for a moment. "Probably not. Likely just some kids out to raise a ruckus, make the news," he says, nodding to the television. "Hopefully they'll get bored now that they've accomplished that. Still, we'll watch the wire, see if there are any reports of sightings closer to us. It may be that they'll keep this up until Halloween. Stupid kids. It's a waste of valuable police resources if they are just doing it for kicks."

"Sounds good, Chief. I'm off to make my rounds, then." Sam says.

"Right. See you at the end of your shift."

* * *

 **Friday, October 7, 2016 – Seattle, Washington**

 _King 5 brings you this exclusive report. We've learned through our contacts in the police department that what started out as evil clown sightings have quickly escalated into legitimate crimes. In the past thirty-six hours there have been two incidents where an evil clown approached individuals in sparsely populated areas, brandished a weapon while forcing the victims to the ground before demanding money and other valuables. So far no injuries have been reported and police are increasing efforts to find the perpetrator._

 **Tuesday, October 11, 2016 – Seattle, Washington**

 _The long Columbus Day weekend was a dangerous one here in Seattle. King 5 has learned that evil clown sightings increased over the weekend and the severity of the crimes committed grew as well._

 _Seattle Chief Police Aldrich urged residents to remain calm but vigilant. He said that they believe a number of the sightings over the weekend were hoaxes perpetrated by individuals looking to increase fear and hysteria but do no physical harm. However, three of the incidents were serious. In one case the clown followed previous patterns of threatening victims with a weapon and forcing them to the ground before robbing them. In the other two incidents the victims were injured even though they did not resist the clown. Both victims are in stable condition at local hospitals but no details about their injuries have been released._

 _It appears that vigilance is the key in this situation. If you see an evil clown or have knowledge of any of these cases, call 9-1-1 or your local police station._

 **Sunday, October 16, 2016 – Seattle, Washington**

 _Crimes perpetrated by a person or persons dressed as an evil clown continue to escalate in violence. Seattle police report that there were two more violent muggings earlier today. Police are concerned that the brazenness of these attacks, which occurred in broad daylight, and the severity of the injuries inflicted on the victims, indicate a willingness of the perpetrator to take greater risks and cause further injury. The victims, both male, were harmed in separate attacks. In the first attack, the clown used a machete and mutilated the victim's genitals. In the other attack, the clown used a cigar trimmer to cut off one of the victim's fingers._

 **Thursday, October 20, 2016 – Seattle, Washington**

 _A body was found earlier today in a secluded, wooded area of Seattle's Seward Park, in an apparent homicide. The body has been identified as that of twenty-eight-year-old Marcus Demetri of Seattle. Police say that there was evidence on the body appearing to link Demetri to the evil clown crimes, but the investigation is ongoing. The public is urged to continue being very aware of their surroundings and to practice extreme caution._

* * *

 **Sunday, October 23, 2016 – Seattle, Washington**

The front door bangs closed after seventeen-year-old Riley Biers bursts through it and proceeds to bound up the stairs to his bedroom. That door slams as well and he pushes the simple button lock before resting his forehead against the wood. His breath comes in wheezing gasps as he squeezes his eyes shut in a fruitless effort to stop the tears. He does manage to keep any noises from escaping by clapping a hand over his mouth and clenching his teeth as hard as he can.

 _How is this happening? How does my entire life unravel in the course of an afternoon? Oh, God, how do I make it stop?_

His mental panic attack is interrupted by a timid knock on the door. Though it's a quiet noise, it still makes Riley jump back, eyes wide with alarm.

"Riley? Are you okay? Where have you been all afternoon? Mom was worried about you." His little sister, Bree, is thirteen-years-old. They are closer than many would expect given a four-year age gap; the angst-ridden, hormone-rich teenage years, and the fact that they were actually half-siblings. "Well, she was worried at first but then she just got sorta mad. I think you might be grounded. Riley?"

"Yeah," he croaks out softly, then he clears his throat and speaks more loudly. "Yeah, I'm here."

"So, where'd you go? What've you been doing?"

"Just, you know," he clears his throat again as he wipes the tears from his cheeks. "Hanging out with the guys."

"Oh," she says sounding defeated. "Well, it's your turn to set the table tonight. You might smooth things over with Mom if you go do it before she has to ask."

"Right. Good idea. Thanks, Bree. I'll be right down."

"Okay. Well, let me know if I can do anything. If you, you know, want to talk or anything."

He chuckles humorlessly. _If she only knew. There's nothing she can do to help. And, God help me, I'll do anything in my power to keep her from ever finding out._

"Thanks, sis, but I'm good. Everything's fine."

"If you say so, Ri." He listens as her footsteps fade away and sits on the bed to collect himself before facing his parents around the dinner table.

* * *

 **Thursday, October 27, 2016 – Forks, Washington**

"Hey, Chief," Sam calls from his desk as Chief Swan enters the station.

"Morning, Sam. What's the latest?"

"Just got a new report on the evil clown sightings."

"And?" The Chief prompts.

"There are several more in different cities. Getting closer. There were two muggings yesterday in Port Angeles; same MO as the attacks in Seattle except no one was hurt. The last several days have also had sightings in Tacoma, Olympia, Aberdeen… even had one up in Neah Bay."

"Neah Bay, really?"

"Yep."

"So, the two crimes in Port Angeles. That's a little too close for comfort. Any other crimes reported? Anyone apprehended?"

"No other crimes. They caught a couple in Olympia. Just some teenagers who said they were trying to scare the younger kids in the neighborhood. Seemed to check out."

"Hmm. Well, I'm not sure about the Port Angeles incidents, but my gut tells me whoever is doing the violent crimes is going to stay in the Seattle area. I'm not going to take any chances in my town, though. Anybody even thinks they see a red clown nose or a . . . a . . . squirting flower, we chase 'em down and grab them, you got that?"

"Yes, sir," Sam replies.

"We'll hold them for a full twenty-four hours, too. If any kids around here get the hare-brained idea to jump on the evil clown bandwagon, hopefully just one of them cooling their heels in the holding cell for a while will make their buddies think twice. We don't need that kind of crazy here. And I don't want any hysteria around the Halloween Festival at the school, either."

"That's for sure, Chief."

"Are you hearing any scuttlebutt around town? Any kids planning something stupid?"

"Nah, but I'll ask around a bit. I'm sure if we poke the right bear we'll hear about any plans."

"Sounds good. See if you can get anything from that Newton kid and his buddies. They always seem to be cooking up ways to raise hell."

"Will do, sir."

"Say, has there been any news on that Amber Alert out of Seattle on Tuesday; that Bree Tanner?"

"Nothing yet. No sightings at all. I'm afraid that might be a tough one since they didn't get any details on potential abductors. I hate to say it, but with that age and everything, she might just be a runaway."

"Could be. Can't assume that though. The risk is too high if she's not."

"That's for sure, sir. I'll let you know if I hear anything on either counts." Sam stands and exits the station to begin his patrol around Forks.

Charlie takes a moment to send a quick text to his daughter, Bella. She's in school but he knows she'll see it before school is dismissed. She and some friends are driving to Port Angeles after school and he wants her to be aware of the latest news about clown muggings there before they leave.


	3. Chapter 3

Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to my beta, Owlsarebirdstoo

* * *

That Saturday afternoon, Bella and Angela meet at the library to finish their homework together.

"So, you and Ben are going to come to movies with me and Edward tonight, right?" Bella asks.

"Absolutely."

"You know there are clowns in it, don't you?"

"What?!" Angela looks stricken but Bella just stares at her, all wide-eyed innocence, until she can't hold it in anymore and bursts out laughing.

"Oh man, your face! I'm sorry, Angela, but that was just priceless," she says.

Angela glares at her and raises an eyebrow. "How long are you going to exploit my fear of clowns, Bella?"

"Until it's not funny anymore?"

"Ha ha. So . . . no clowns?"

"Nope, no clowns," Bella replies with a laugh.

"I hate you."

"No, you love me."

"Love might be too strong of a word at the moment," Angela replies. "So what are your plans for tomorrow, you know, after you torture me with clowns tonight?"

"Tomorrow morning Charlie and I are going out to the reservation to visit Billy. After we get back I'm going to go for a run before Edward and I hang out for a while."

"Hmm, is 'hang out' a euphemism for . . . you know . . ."

"Ang! No, we are actually just going to spend time in one another's company."

"If you say so. You know, I can't believe you run now. I mean, you went through that awful gangly, clumsy stage and now you're like the lead cross country runner at the school. No offense about the gangly thing…"

Bella laughs. "None taken – it's true! It's crazy but, the running really helped. I guess I just got lighter on my feet, I don't know."

"So where do you like to run these days?"

"I usually just stick to the cross country trail around the school. Can't do that now though with that clown nonsense; Charlie would freak. I'll just run downtown, maybe out to the town sign and back. He should be okay with that."

"Well, good for you. I run to the bathroom now and then, but that's about my limit."

"You should give it a serious try. You might find you love it."

"Again, I think love might be too strong of a word," Angela says, laughing. "Hey, did you finish your English lit essay?"

"Almost. Let me just finish the conclusion and we'll call it good."

The girls finish their homework and go about their day, enjoying a movie with Ben and Edward, followed by a late night pizza before going home.

Sunday morning is equally uneventful for Bella. She and Charlie go to the reservation and she hangs out with Jake while Charlie visits with Billy. Before they leave, Jake's friends, Quill and Seth, also come by for a bit.

After returning home, Bella dresses for her run. Charlie makes sure she's carrying her pepper spray before she hops into her truck and drives to a side street near the center of town. She spends a few minutes warming up with a slow jog up and down the street before doing some light stretching. Then she starts the timer on her watch and runs towards the end of the street.

* * *

 _Three hours later…_

"Hi, Chief, this is Edward. I was wondering if Bella was back from her run yet?"

Charlie tightens his grip on the phone as a faint feeling of dread crawls down his spine. "You mean she's not with you, Edward? She left for her run almost four hours ago and I thought she was going straight to your place afterwards."

"Yes, sir, that was our plan, but she's not here yet. I spoke with her this morning but she didn't know when she'd be over since your plans at the reservation today were kind of fluid. I wasn't sure exactly when to expect her, but thought she would have arrived or called by now," Edward replies.

"Something's wrong then 'cause she should have been to your place a couple of hours ago. She was going to run around town today since I didn't want her on the trails alone. I'm going to go see if I can find her or anyone who saw her. You can join me in town if you'd like."

"Yes, sir. I'll be right there."

Charlie hangs up the phone and hurries out of the house. His sixth sense tells him that something is very wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to my beta Owlsarebirdstoo.

* * *

 _Later that evening. Forks Police Station_

"Chief, we've scoured this town. There's no sign of Bella's truck. We've talked to all the people who saw her on her run, but no one saw anything suspicious. The last place she was seen was on Trillium Avenue heading towards Thomas Street. We've been back and forth over that neighborhood and several blocks in each direction, but we've found nothing. We've even searched those abandoned houses out that way, and there's just no sign of her," reports Sam.

Charlie is sitting at his desk with Edward and Carlisle Cullen seated across from him. They are all exhausted and tense with worry.

"Okay, thank you, Sam. I've contacted the state police and they've agreed to bring in two of their canine units at first light and we'll start again. We've got an APB out for her and her picture is plastered on Amber Alerts across the state." He rubs his face with his hands, releasing a huge sigh.

"Charlie, hope is a powerful tool," Carlisle reminds his friend. "We know that Bella is strong and smart. We can't give up hope."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Doc," he says. "Sam, you go close up your desk and I'll see you back here in the morning."

"Yes, sir," Sam replies, going to his desk.

Just a moment later, the phone on Charlie's desk rings. He answers gruffly and speaks for a few minutes before hanging up and standing from his chair.

"Sam!" he yells out his door.

"Yes, Chief?" Sam answers, returning to the doorway.

"State troopers just called. They found the body of Bree Tanner in Port Angeles. She's been murdered."

"Oh, damn," Sam whispers.

"If someone is abducting and killing girls, this search for Bella has just taken on a whole new urgency. The troopers are going to get one of their canines down here tonight. Sam, all of our officers have been at this all evening. I want you to contact the Sheriff's office and see if they can spare a few units to help us into the night."

"Will do," Sam says, before turning and rushing back to his desk.

"Charlie, folks in town know that Bella's missing. They're scared. For her and for their own children," Carlisle says. "Should we cancel tomorrow's festival?"

Charlie blows out a hard breath. "Jeez, I don't know. A main advantage of the festival is that it keeps kids off the street. They just all go to the school and have fun in a safe place. I don't want to feed the panic by making people think they can't leave their homes."

"If I could make a suggestion?" Carlisle asks.

"Of course, Doc."

"I would suggest that we cancel the Pumpkin Walk since that is in a rather secluded wooded area. Maybe the haunted house since that will have a lot of variables to keep track of. But the games, candy giveaway and music all happen in the school gymnasium, where children would most certainly be safe."

"I like that idea, Carlisle. It'll eliminate danger but still allow people to go about their lives."

"I'll talk to Esme; she was on the planning committee. We'll take care of it."

"Thank you, Carlisle. And Edward, we'll find Bells. Don't you doubt that."

"I don't doubt it, sir," Edward replies.

"Come on, son, let's go home and help your mother with this change in plans. We'll come back tomorrow to help any way we can," Carlisle says.

"Thank you, again. Both of you," Charlie says, standing and shaking their hands. "I'll let you know if anything develops overnight."

"If you need anything, call any time," Carlisle offers.

"Will do," Charlie replies.

As Carlisle and Edward leave, Charlie reaches for his jacket to head back out.

The search for Bella continues through the night. First with one canine unit, then with two new ones that join the search in the morning. Several county sheriffs and even townspeople scour the town looking for any sign of Bella or her truck. They find nothing.

At the station Monday morning, Charlie is watching the local news out of Seattle as it will carry a story about Bella's disappearance along with several pictures he provided.

 _Good morning, this is Heidi Germaine with some breaking news brought to you from King 5, Seattle's leading news station. Another evil clown crime occurred in Port Angeles late yesterday. The victim was a twenty-four-year-old woman who was alone in an area of the city without a lot of foot traffic. She was forced into an alley where the clown threatened her with a gun, forced her to the ground and took her valuables. Then, before leaving the victim, the clown used a knife to carve initials into the victim's back. This comes on the heels of police finding the body of thirteen-year-old Bree Tanner in the same city on Saturday. Police previously reported that they believe Tanner's death was somehow linked to the evil clown crime spree but they are not releasing further details since the investigation is still continuing._ _Port Angeles police urge local residents to remain calm but be particularly aware, especially if they are planning to go trick or treating this evening. Make sure you travel in groups with at least one adult. Although, it may be wiser to just stay home and let your kids have the stash of candy you were planning to hand out._

"Well, damn it all to hell," Charlie says quietly.

"I made some fresh coffee, Chief," Linda, one of the station clerks, calls to him from across the room.

"Thanks, Linda. I'll fill my thermos then I'm going back out."

A few hours later, a call comes in through the radio. "Chief, this is Taylor. We think we found Bella's cell phone. It was near Trillium and Thomas, where we believe she was heading on her run. The battery's been removed and it's been smashed up pretty good."

"Great work, Taylor. Tape off that area. We'll get one of the canines out there and see if they can get a trail. I'm on my way."

Charlie rushes to the location and coordinates efforts with the canine unit. The dog picks up Bella's scent, but can't follow it beyond twenty or thirty feet. It's not getting them any closer to finding Bella. Finding no tracks or other indication of what may have happened, Charlie makes his way back to the station where he's met by an agitated Linda.

"Chief, I was going to radio you. Something just came in over the wire that you need to see," she says, handing him a printout.

Charlie skims the paper quickly then goes back to the top to read it again more carefully. "Are you kidding me? That is one sick son-of-a-bitch! Linda, I'll be in my office on the phone with Seattle PD."


	5. Chapter 5

_Around 4:00 pm …_

The clown treads lightly, nearly silent, on the path through the woods. Crouching behind a bush, the waiting begins. Once started, the official Halloween festivities will bring people within twenty feet of the hiding place. Any minute now a volunteer will start up the path to light the jack-o-lanterns. The clown doesn't know who the volunteer will be, but knows it will soon be a very bad day for him or her. The choice of victim is in fate's hands; the clown just needs to get him or her moving up the secondary path quickly, before others can see.

The clown waits. The rubberized mask is in place. It's gruesome with its wide smiling mouth showing jagged, dirty teeth, lips outlined with a combination of black and red lipstick. The eyes are harshly slanted with sharply angled eyebrows and bright red paint accenting them. The rubber ears are large and pointed. What appears to be a bleeding cut is across the forehead and there's a smattering of dark red hair topped with a ludicrous tiny clown hat. The costume is a giant pantsuit in muted colors, with dirt and even some blood splotches – souvenirs from previous encounters. The clown's nerves are evident in the slight hand tremors, but otherwise the clown appears perfectly determined to accomplish this horrendous deed.

It's not long before someone can be heard coming up the path. Another moment and there is a clear view of the person.

"Oh, God, no. Please not Seth!"The clown thinks with a whimper, but is unable to say anything more. It doesn't matter, the voice is right there again, echoing through Bella's head.

 _You don't have a choice, Bella! You have to do this. You must force him to go with you. Do what you have to, but make sure he comes with you. If you don't, others will have to pay the price._

Bella blinks behind the hideous mask and twin tears roll down her cheeks. She doesn't want to do this, but knows she must. The voice will never stop until she does. Or if she tries to block it out, refuse it, it will just mean she ends up hurting more people. "God, can she do it again?" she wonders. "To someone she knows? To _Seth!?"_

 _You have to move NOW, Bella!_ The voice says. _Get up and make him come with you, higher up the trail. You know the way._

She takes a deep breath and stands slowly, moving out from behind the bush silently and taking the few steps necessary to be directly behind Seth. It's as if she's watching it happen from outside of herself as she raises the gun and presses it into his back.

"Move!" The command comes from her without thought.

 _Don't let him turn around, Bella. Get him moving, right now!_

"Don't! Don't you dare try anything; you're coming with me. Now walk!"

"Newton," Seth says. "This isn't funny. I thought you just wanted to show up and try to scare people. What's with the dramatics?"

 _He thinks this is just a prank! Let's set him straight, huh? You know you're great with that gun Bella. Show him that you are not to be trifled with. Show him you mean business!_

"You want to see dramatic?" Bella raises the gun, quickly takes aim at one of the pumpkins down the path and smoothly pulls the trigger, watching the pumpkin explode.

 _Damn straight! That's some fancy shooting._

"I'm not playing around. Now move!" Bella roughly pushes the gun into Seth's back until he starts walking.

"I said move. Now!" The command is punctuated by a rough jab to his ribs and Seth complies, feet dragging in the undergrowth of the wood.

During the walk up the path that she has run countless times during her training, the voices in Bella's head argue.

"I can't do this," she thinks, "not to Seth."

 _Bella, you know you need to do this. It's the only way to keep other people from being hurt. You know how it feels when you do it. That's why you have to do it again. Oh, this is a nice spot. Have the boy turn around so he can look down on the school and all his friends who will get to live another day even though he won't._

"Now, kneel! Down on the ground and put your hands behind your head!" The command is punctuated with another harsh jab to Seth's ribs. "Look at them. All those kiddies dressed up as princesses, animals . . ." A laugh came next, even surprising Bella herself. ". . . superheroes. Too bad there won't be a superhero coming here to help you. Tell me, what are you thinking right this very moment, boy?"

"I'm thinking that I have friends down there and I don't want any of them to get hurt," Seth replies.

"Aw, selflessness. It's a ridiculous trait that will prevent you from ever getting anything you want. Not that that matters to you now, though. What else are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking about how sad my mom and my sister are going to be if you kill me. My dad died last year, so I'm the man of the house – "

Another hearty laugh makes Bella want to cry even though she can't control the laughter. "You're the man of the house? That's not saying much is it? Given how you're going to die up here on this hill, quiet as a little mouse."

"I don't want to die," Seth responds.

"God, is he crying?" Bella wonders. "I won't be able to do this if he's crying _._ " The gun shakes, even as she presses it into Seth's back.

 _Oh, you're going to do this, Bella. So buck up, girl! There's work to be done._

"Too bad you don't have a choice in the matter," is the only reply Seth gets.

A sudden commotion on their right is accompanied by a voice that reverberates off the trees. Both Bella and Seth flinch in surprise.

"PUT THE GUN DOWN AND STEP AWAY FROM THE BOY!" Sam Uley steps out from behind a tree, his gun pointed straight at Bella. She has never seen his face so dark and serious. She's not sure if she should be scared or relieved.

"If Sam is here, what does that mean?" she wonders. "Where's Charlie? This isn't going to end well."

 _Don't move the gun, Bella. We can't afford to get distracted. We have a task to do and you simply have to do it._

She stands motionless, listening to the voice in her head and trying to separate it from her other thoughts. She's so caught up in trying to untangle the words in her head, that she's startled when Sam speaks again.

"I said, put the gun down and step away from the boy!" Sam repeats.

Just then Sam's radio crackles and a voice comes through. Bella can't make out what is said, but the voice is unmistakable; it's her dad.

Sam gives a "10-4" in reply, which is followed up by a response from Charlie. Bella clearly hears him say "Over and out" and it nearly breaks her. He used to say that to her when she was little and they played cops and robbers.

"What will Charlie think about what I've done?" she thinks. "Can I make him understand why I have to do this?" She's losing it. It's an odd sensation to be aware of herself actually becoming unglued. Her breathing becomes erratic and her hand trembles even more against Seth's back.

"You know, I don't know who you are, but so far here today you haven't really done anything too bad," Sam says. "I mean, you're not supposed to pull guns out on people, but you haven't hurt anyone. You put the gun down and Seth there can go on about his day. The folks down at the gym are looking forward to him playing some music. The kids are going to eat too much candy and drive their parents crazy before the sugar crash kicks in . . ."

"Oh, Sam, if you only knew what I've done," Bella thinks. She shakes her head back and forth.

 _No more stalling. Time to gather some forward momentum again, Bella._

"Face down on the ground!" The demand is snarled at Seth, though Bella doesn't take her eyes off of Sam.

As Seth lies down on the ground, Bella shifts to his side so that she is facing Sam, though her gun stays aimed at Seth's back.

"Alright," Sam says. "We're quickly getting to the point of no return here. You're setting up a no win situation. I'm telling you for the last time: put the gun down and step away from the boy!"

 _What do we think, Bella? Do we want him to shoot us or not? Honestly, I'm undecided. Let's see how far we can push our friendly officer, shall we?_

Bella doesn't like this train of thought and slowly shakes her head from side to side. It seems to be the only way she can communicate at all.

 _Yes. Yes, I think we shall. Point the gun at the boy's head, Bella. Do it. Now!_

Despondent, she shifts the gun so it's aimed directly at the back of Seth's head.

Sam doesn't hesitate to respond. "PUT THE GUN DOWN, NOW!" he shouts.

 _It's time, Bella. Shoot the gun. Just squeeze the trigger. You know how it feels. You like shooting. It's no different than target practice with the Chief. Go on._

She can't. All she can do is stand there and shake her head 'no' as she stares at Sam.

As they are engaged in their momentary stand-off, they hear someone coming towards them, fast.

Bella just keeps shaking her head. She can't let anyone else get involved in her craziness.

Before she can decide what to do, Charlie bursts through the brush, yelling, "Don't shoot!"

Bella can't make sense of this. "How can he be here? What does this mean?" she wonders.

 _Shoot the gun, Bella. You know what will happen if you don't. We'll just have to hurt more people._

Bella watches as Charlie motions for Sam to lower his gun

"Chief? I don't think …" he starts.

"Lower your gun, Sam. That's an order," Charlie says firmly.

After Sam complies, Charlie turns to look at her and Bella feels her control slipping away.

"None of this makes sense," she admits to herself. "Charlie being here isn't right. If he could just hear what I hear, maybe he would understand." She feels the tears streaking down her cheeks. They irritate her, but she can't wipe them away from under the mask. She sniffles in an effort to clear her nose.

"You don't have to do this," Charlie says.

 _Oh but we do, don't we Bella? We have to do this. We know who will get hurt if we don't, don't we?_

"Do we?" Bella thinks. Her mind is screaming 'no!' and her head follows suit, moving slowly left to right.

"No. You _don't_ have to. Just put the gun down," his voice is pleading, tinged with fear. He takes a breath so he can utter one more thing, a plea and prayer, "Please . . . Bells."

"He knows," she realizes. "Charlie knows it's me!"

Sam looks at Charlie in disbelief, but Charlie's attention never shifts from Bella and Seth.

"I'm right here, baby girl," he says.

Tremors of white hot fear travel throughout her body. Charlie can even see her shaking despite the oversized clown suit.

"I'm safe. No one can hurt me. Put down the gun, Bella," Charlie says.

 _Safe? No one's safe. Even if the Chief of Police thinks he can hide behind his badge, there are others that don't have that advantage. Isn't that right, Bella?_

Charlie hears the whimper that escapes her then.

"What else do you need, Bella? Are you worried about anyone else? Edward? He's safe, baby. I promise you."

 _Doesn't he know that he shouldn't make promises he can't keep?_

"Look, I'll call him," Charlie says, slowly pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. He pushes a few buttons and holds it out toward Bella. It's on speakerphone and Bella hears it clearly when the call is answered.

"Hello? Charlie?" It's Carlisle.

"Carlisle, I'm here with Bella. Is Edward with you? Are you in that safe place I sent you to?"

"Yes, Charlie, Edward is here and we are where you told us to go."

"Good. Can you have Edward say hello, so Bella knows he's all right?"

"Of course," Carlisle replies and there's a brief pause before Edward gets on the line.

"Bella?" his voice his tight, but controlled. "Bella, love, I'm here. I'm safe. I'm okay. You don't have to do this anymore. Do what your dad tells you and I promise everything and everyone will be okay."

 _You know, they're almost cute in their arrogance, aren't they Bella? They just don't understand what we have to do._

"Thank you, Edward," Charlie said before disconnecting the call. "You heard him, right, Bella? Everything's going to be okay. Just put the gun down."

 _Don't you dare do it, Bella. You know there will be a price to pay if you do. Follow the plan and we can go on to have fun another day. Change the plan and people die. I know you understand this._

Bella looks at Charlie, his eyes pleading with her. He's been her rock ever since Renee left. She can trust him. Slowly, she bends down placing the gun as far away from her and Seth as she can reach. She stands and steps further away from the gun, moving slowly toward Charlie.

Sam immediately raises his gun at her. "Stay where you are!" he yells.

Bella freezes, her hands raised.

"Sam, it's fine. You can put the gun down," Charlie says as he steps to Bella.

As soon as Sam lowers his gun, Bella's hands go to her neck, frantically trying to release the mask where it's attached around her neck. Charlie can hear her whimpers and groans of frustration.

"Shh, shh, let me help," he says, looking closely to see how it's attached. When he finally manages to get it loose, Bella tears it from her head and looks up at Charlie.

Under the mask she is also wearing gruesome clown makeup that is streaked with her tears. Charlie's jaw tenses as he sees that her mouth has been duct-taped closed.

"Let me get this, baby. I'm sorry if it hurts a bit." He gently works a corner of the tape free and steadily pulls it away from her mouth. As soon as it's off, Bella opens her mouth to take a huge breath of air as she throws her arms around Charlie's waist, hugging him tightly. He wraps his arms around her and strokes her hair as he makes soothing noises.

Just then, a muffled voice speaks from between them.

 _You made the wrong call, Bella. You know this means people are going to get hurt because of you._

Charlie and Bella separate and she pulls a small radio receiver out of its hiding place under her chin.

"Dad, he uses a camera in the mask to watch what's going on and he talks through the radio, making it sound like it was me, but it wasn't, Dad. It wasn't me," she's crying and desperate to get her story out. "Even in Port Angeles yesterday, I was there but I'm not the one who hurt that girl…"

"Shush, Bells, I know," Charlie says. Keeping his arm around her, he turns to where the mask sits on the ground. It landed face up and is even more eerie as its empty eyes seem to stare at them. He quickly unclips his radio from his collar before removing his jacket and throwing it on top of the mask. Hooking his radio to his belt, he walks closer to Sam who has helped Seth to stand.

"Sam, take Seth and start back down the trail," he says, keeping is voice low to prevent it from being picked up by the camera in the mask. "Radio in to the station. Let them know that we've got Bella. I called some troopers back in when we realized what might be happening up here. They've got the equipment that might be able to track the guy through his camera and radio signals."

"I don't understand what's going on here, Chief," Sam replies.

"Bella's a victim, too, Sam. She was abducted yesterday and forced to do this. I'll explain it all when we get back to the station, but right now, the key to finding the people responsible is seeing if we can track those signals." Sam nods in acknowledgement. "Seth, you all right, son?" Charlie asks.

"Yes, sir, I'm okay," he replies.

"Seth, I'm so sorry, I never wanted to hurt you," Bella pleads with him. He nods hesitantly at her and lets Sam lead him down the hill.

"Bells, are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Charlie asks.

She shrugs. "They grabbed me yesterday during my run and took me to Port Angeles. They knew all about you and Edward. They forced me to mug that woman yesterday, Dad. They knew exactly where both you and Edward were and threatened to hurt one of you if I didn't do it…"

"I know, Bells. I know. They are a couple of sick SOBs."

"So was that really Edward on the phone? Is he really okay?"

"I promise you Bells, that really was him and he's perfectly fine. Worried sick about you, of course, but otherwise just fine. I had Carlisle take him to the station and they're both safe."

"Yesterday, they wanted me to…to…cut that woman. But I couldn't, Dad, I couldn't do it. And, they told me that they hurt Edward because I didn't do what they told me to do." She turns to hug him again, letting the tears flow freely.

As Charlie lets her cry, Office Taylor arrives.

"She all right, Chief?" he asks.

"Yep, she'll be fine. I need you to secure this area. Be aware that the gun's over there and the clown mask is under my jacket. There's a camera with a microphone in it, so leave it until the troopers get here. They're going to try and track the signal."

"Will do, Chief. They should be here soon."

Charlie gives him a nod before turning Bella and starting back down the hill. Just before the trail breaks through the trees behind the school, Bella stops. There are several police cars and even an ambulance just beyond the lawn at the end of the trailhead. They've caught the attention of the people attending the festival at the school and a large crowd has gathered.

"Dad, I . . . I can't just walk out there," she says, taking a small step backwards.

Charlie steps in front of Bella and assesses the situation before grabbing his radio from his belt. "Baker, this is the Chief. I'm at the trailhead. Have that ambulance back up here as far as they can, and bring me a blanket. Over."

"Yes, sir. Over," comes the reply.

A minute later the ambulance starts backing up toward the trail, its progress marked by the steady 'beep' of the back-up warning system. An officer also comes jogging up to the trail carrying a blanket. Charlie stays in front of Bella to block his view as he accepts the blanket. After the officer turns back to the school, Charlie spins around, wrapping the blanket around Bella's shoulders and bringing it up to cover her head.

"You can pull that down to cover your face before we go out," he says. He regards her for a moment before speaking again. "People are still going to find out what happened and know how you were involved, Bells. You realize that?"

She nods. "Yeah, of course I do. But I don't want them to see me like this. I mean, knowing it is one thing, seeing it is another, right?"

"Yeah, you're right," he says, leaning forward to place a kiss on the top of her head.

The ambulance stops and the crew gets out, jogging to the back to open the doors. As they reach in for the gurney, Charlie calls out to them. "That's okay, we won't need that. We can walk."

Turning to Bella, he asks, "You ready?"

She pulls the blanket further down over her face and nods. Keeping her head down, they walk to the ambulance and climb in.


	6. Chapter 6

Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to my beta, Owlsarebirdstoo.

* * *

 _The next evening…_

 **Tuesday, November 1, 2016**

 _This is Heidi Germaine with King 5 News reporting that Seattle Police in conjunction with Washington State Troopers and police from the small town of Forks, Washington have announced a major break in the evil clown crime spree. Police have arrested James Hunter, a thirty-four-year-old Seattle man, as one of two people behind the muggings and violent attacks. Hunter is believed to have been working with a woman, Victoria Foley, who is still at large. In addition to committing the muggings and attacks, Hunter and Foley are also accused of abducting Bree Tanner and are the primary suspects in her murder. They are also accused of abducting one of Tanner's relatives and forcing him to commit crimes under threat of harm to his family. Just this past weekend, a teenage girl from Forks was also abducted and forced to commit crimes in Port Angeles._

 _Police are still piecing together details of the case and a major manhunt is underway for Foley. Anyone with details about her whereabouts should call 9-1-1. King 5 will have more about this story as it develops._

Charlie clicks off the television in his living room and turns to Bella who is seated on the couch next to Edward. She's snuggled under a blanket as she sips some tea. Carlisle and Esme are also there.

"Well, it seems that they got it right, at least as much was shared with them," Charlie observes.

"Bella, we're just so glad you're alright," Esme says with a small smile. "When I think of how terribly wrong things could have gone . . ." Carlisle reaches over from his seat beside her and squeezes Esme's hand.

"Charlie, can you tell us how you found out what was happening?" Carlisle asks.

Charlie purses his lips and nods. "Frankly, we just caught a break and the timing was right. Bree Tanner's older half-brother, a boy named Riley Biers, was grabbed and, like Bella, forced to commit crimes. The only difference was that Riley had met the woman, Victoria, in a martial arts class he was taking. He admitted to having a bit of a crush on her. When she approached him after class one day, he was flattered and eagerly accepted her offer of a coffee date . . ."

"Let me guess, it wasn't a coffee date," Edward says.

"Nope, Victoria and her boyfriend, James, took him and told him they would hurt his family if he didn't do what they told him to. He committed two of the crimes in Seattle. The first time, he mugged the guy and they wanted him to really mess him up with a knife. He cut the guy but couldn't go through with what they told him to."

Bella shivers and burrows further into the blanket. It's very much like what they wanted her to do in Port Angeles.

"Victoria and James told him, because he failed at his first job, he had to do another one. And this time he had to kill the victim. They showed him pictures of his sister, Bree, and told him that she would pay the price if he failed."

"That's so terrible," Esme says.

Bella sniffles and Edward puts his arm around her, pulling her close. "That's what they told me. Since I didn't do what they told me to do in Port Angeles, they said that they hurt Edward and I would have to kill the next time, or they would hurt my Dad. They seemed to know all about you both. They were crazy; I absolutely believed them."

"You're right about that, Bells," Charlie says. "Those two really are a piece of work. So, Riley does another mugging as an evil clown and shoots the victim. James and Victoria let him go, letting him know that if he ever talks about it, they'll make sure he'll be convicted for the crime and they'll also hurt his sister."

"Some people just have no humanity left," Carlisle mutters.

"The only problem was, Riley's victim didn't die. When the news broadcast that the latest victim would make a full recovery, James and Victoria made good on their threat and kidnapped Bree on her way home from school. We believe they took her to Port Angeles and stayed there most of last week, forcing her to commit the crimes that were reported there."

"That's when I saw them there," Bella says softly.

"You saw them last week?" Edward asks, incredulously.

"Yeah. On Thursday when Angela, Jess and I went dress shopping for the fall dance. I saw them a couple of times on the street when we were in one store; then they ended up at the same restaurant where we had dinner. James told me that he saw me and wondered about me, so they followed us a bit. He said they eavesdropped on our conversation at the restaurant. That's when they learned where we were from, that a Halloween festival was coming up, even that I was the police chief's daughter. He said he liked the challenge of seeing if they could get me to commit some crimes. They thought it was funny."

Charlie grimaces. He heard her story at the hospital but it's still hard to swallow the fact that she was targeted, at least in part, because of him and his job.

"He told me that they came into town on Saturday to find out more about me and my family. He scoped out the Halloween Festival and got a lot of information about dad. He even found out about Edward."

Edward hugs her to him and kisses her temple.

"We don't know exactly why they killed Bree, but there's evidence that clearly ties them to that crime. When her body was discovered and Riley knew that she was killed, he went to the police and told them everything," Charlie finished.

"Why didn't he go to them as soon as she was missing?" Edward asked.

"He says that Victoria was in touch with him, even let him talk to Bree. They assured him that, as long as Bree could do what he couldn't, they would let her come home," Charlie says. "If he went to the police, they would kill her."

"What a terrible situation for that boy," Esme says.

Charlie nods. "An initial brief about the case with descriptions of James and Victoria had just come across the wire when I got back to the station on Monday. With Bella's abduction and the crimes getting closer to Forks, I just needed to follow-up. I called Seattle and got all the details that Riley had provided. I learned how they were using radios and cameras to participate at the scene. I had just gotten off the phone with them when Sam radioed the station telling about the call he was pursuing behind the school, with Seth and the clown sighting. Having an evil clown show up in Forks all of a sudden right after Bella's disappearance, well, it all fit and I just knew it had to be her," he finishes.

"Dad, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up," Bella says. "I was convinced that Edward had been hurt already and they were threatening to shoot you. They claimed that Victoria had staked out the station. I didn't know if that's true, but I knew that she was just plain evil."

"What do you mean?" Edward asks her.

"In Port Angeles they wanted me to cut the woman who I mugged. They wanted me to carve initials into her back, 'E.C.' for Evil Clown. I don't think I could have ever done it regardless, but when they told me what letters I was supposed to do and, they were Edward's initials, and I . . . I just couldn't." She's crying as Edward wraps both arms around her into another tight hug. "She said they learned from Riley's botched murder, and Victoria had followed me as I took the woman into an abandoned alley. She wasn't dressed as a clown, but she had a full mask on so she couldn't be identified. When I hesitated with the knife, she came up beside me and said that if I didn't do it, she would. There was no way, I just couldn't. So, I turned away as she did it. I wanted to run, but they had the earpiece in my ear and James's voice was there, demanding that I stay, telling me how I had just ensured that Edward would be hurt, threatening me that they would kill dad if I left. So I just stood there and listened as that woman screamed in pain."

Bella buries her face in Edward's shirt. Charlie stands from his chair and crosses the room to squat down in front of her. "Bells. Bells, look at me," he urges. When she turns to face him, he continues. "You didn't hurt that woman. Victoria did. You did everything you could to prevent harm. You are not to blame, you hear me?"

She nods a little and Charlie squeezes her knee before standing again and walking to the window.

"The good news is that the troopers were able to track the radio and camera signals and they caught James in Port Angeles just a couple of hours after we found Bella. He was a damn fool not to have left before then, but I'm okay with stupid."

"What about Victoria?" Carlisle asks.

Bella laughs humorlessly. "She was definitely the brains behind the operation. And the one with the real sick need to hurt people."

"Well, she wasn't there. James seemed surprised that she wasn't coming back, but she apparently decided to save her own skin and take off. The troopers are leading the investigation now, since the crimes cover several areas of the state. They're on her trail. I'm sure they'll catch her soon."

"She's the dangerous one, Dad," Bella says, eyes wide with fear. "We won't be safe until she's caught, not you, not Edward and not me."

"I won't let anything happen to any of us, Bells," Charlie replies. "She'd be a fool to come back here and the troopers have a tight dragnet across the state. They'll find her."

Bella nods her head, still not fully convinced.

* * *

Slowly, things get back to some semblance of normalcy. Bella returns to school. As she expected, she's a spectacle for a few days, but her friends rally around her and before long the gawking stops. She makes several trips out to the reservation and, with Jake there to offer moral support to both sides, she's able to patch things up with Seth.

James is charged with multiple crimes, ranging from theft and assault to abduction and murder. Bella and Riley both testify against him.

During the trial, James speaks about how the whole crime spree got started when he was just goofing off, dressing up and trying to scare people. Victoria thought it was hysterical and then suggested that it was a great way to rob people, since they couldn't be identified. That's how things escalated into muggings, assisted by the threat of some choice weapons.

Then, Victoria wanted a taste of the action. She wanted to do a mugging but didn't want to be recognized as a female. That's how she and James got the idea to use some audio-visual equipment, figuring out how to use a combination of a small camera and microphone that transmitted an audio visual feed back to James. Then the radio was locked into the 'receive' position, secured in the clown costume and, viola, he was able to speak as the clown. It was Victoria who first got a taste for blood, using the knife to cut her victims.

James said that she then wondered if they could get other people to act as their 'clown puppets' and do the crimes for them. That's when James ran into his old buddy Marcus Demitri, who he sometimes got high with. They approached him about getting some easy cash and he was immediately on board with the idea. When they suited him up as the clown, they added an earpiece so that they could talk just to him, and not have it go over the radio.

Like Victoria, Marcus had a taste for blood. James claimed that Marcus was the one who mutilated a man's genitals and cut off another man's finger with a cigar trimmer during attacks in Seattle. He was eager to continue working with them, but James said that he and Victoria agreed he was too much of a loose cannon and could get them caught. Victoria said she would take care of it and the next thing James knew, Marcus' body had been found.

By then, Victoria already had her sights set on Riley, thinking that an unwilling puppet might be easier to manage.

Riley told his story, about how they forced him to commit crimes by threatening to harm his sister. While he went with Victoria willingly at first, Bella explained how she was abducted in broad daylight and forced into the trunk of a car before being taken to another city and forced to commit crimes.

The prosecutor provided evidence linking the gun that Bella used on the trail behind the school to Bree's murder. Since Bella had a solid alibi for the entire time Bree was missing, she was cleared of any possible involvement in the murder. Her testimony that James had given her the gun, tied him to the murder.

Months after the incident behind the school, the trial ended and James was sentenced to life in prison.

Charlie, the Forks police force, the Cullen's and all their friends were on alert for any signs of Victoria, and Bella was slowly able to ease back into her life for the most part.

That next spring, her friends, combined with Edward's excessively persuasive efforts, even convince Bella to attend the spring semi-formal.

The night of the dance, she and her friends get dressed up and dance the night away, sharing many laughs and smiles.

That same night, in the small city of Heber Springs, Arkansas, just over an hour north of Little Rock, a person, fully outfitted in Hollywood-worthy zombie make-up and costume, slips out from behind a large bush and steps up behind the woman who is reaching into the backseat of her car for grocery bags. As the woman stands up, the zombie brings a knife to her neck.

"Do exactly as I say…"

* * *

A/N: Happy Halloween. Thanks for reading.


End file.
